leonids at the headlands

[Some Dude With A Mak- Cass]

hey everybody, I'm going up to the headlands international dark sky park on the 17th and 18th for the leonids shower. anybody else planning on being there? hoping for some pro help with my scope if i can get it. if you plan on being there, feel free to let me know.. id love to have some help learning to use my scope well. so far only seen a fuzzy moon and a tiny little neptune dot with it, so help is much appreciated if available. 

[ronin]

Sounds like it should be good if the sky is clear over Michigan. Does the lakes cause cloud  or even mist?

Have a good look round as the place looks excellent. Best way to see meteors is on a comfy camper bed with a good blanket over you and the head bit raised for support. Lying on the ground is damp as a rule.

Camping, RV or accomodation?

I see their Event is the 17th, no mention of 18th. Surprised that it is 8:00 to 10:00 as the shower density is normally greater after midnight when the earth rotates the night side into the path of the orbit and so the denser band of material that causes the meteors. Are you able to remain "on site" after 10:00, or do they evict everyone? Just read that you can remain all night to observe.

Are you taking a camera, binoculars or scope, or all 3?

[Some Dude With A Mak- Cass]

16 hours ago, ronin said:

Sounds like it should be good if the sky is clear over Michigan. Does the lakes cause cloud  or even mist?

Have a good look round as the place looks excellent. Best way to see meteors is on a comfy camper bed with a good blanket over you and the head bit raised for support. Lying on the ground is damp as a rule.

Camping, RV or accomodation?

I see their Event is the 17th, no mention of 18th. Surprised that it is 8:00 to 10:00 as the shower density is normally greater after midnight when the earth rotates the night side into the path of the orbit and so the denser band of material that causes the meteors. Are you able to remain "on site" after 10:00, or do they evict everyone? Just read that you can remain all night to observe.

Are you taking a camera, binoculars or scope, or all 3?

the lakes do sometimes cause clouds and mist, in fact there is SNOW in the forecast for this weekend so idk if I'm going or not. ill be staying in a airbnb house, camping is a horrid experience. as far as i know you can stay as late as you like, since its a dark sky park a assume they would allow you to be there all night if you want. I'm taking a nikon camera, likely a pair of small but strong binocs, and my celestron sky prodigy 90 mak- cass.

[ronin]

That place looks really good with regards the facilities on offer, cannot make out if it is fully complete yet. I see camping is not allowed on the reserve, makes some sense I suppose. Keeps it dedicated to astronomy and observing and not camp fires and lights and noise.

If clear here on 17th I know an uncomfortable cold seat I may sit on that faces me North thaqt may supply a half reasonable chance of seeing something.